Collingwood took out the NAB Cup for 2011, the first time since Essendon in 1994 that the previous year’s premiership winner has backed up to win the pre-season competition. And it was the Bombers that Collingwood had to overcome in the final to win their silverware, and it was a contest that delivered plenty of nervous moments for the Magpies before they finally took out a 22-point win.An evenly-contested first quarter saw the Magpies lead by 8 points at the first change, before they turned on their premiership form in the second term. Playing close to a full-strength squad, the Magpie midfield were tuning up for the season ahead in style. Midfielders Scott Pendlebury and Heath Shaw were putting in sensational performances; while the Magpies decision to draft Andrew Krakouer was working wonders. Krakouer had played a previous stint at Richmond without any great success, and then dropped back to playing in the WAFL. But given a second chance at the big time, he looks to have learned well from his time away, coming back a stronger and more skilful player.The Magpies led by 26 points at half time, and a 9-pointer to Simon Buckley early in the third term further extended the Magpie advantage. At one stage the lead was out to 39 points before the Bombers rallied. Helped by two interchange infringements within two minutes by the Magpies, both of which gifted the Bombers easy goals, the Bombers came storming back into the contest. With the last four goals of the quarter, the Bombers cut the margin to 17 points at the last change; and with the first two goals of the final term the margin was back to 3 points.The crowd were at fever-pitch, the success-starved Bomber fans roaring themselves into a frenzy as a victory that had seemed impossible just half an hour earlier was now within reach. But the Magpies steadied, holding the Bombers to just one more goal for the match and kicking four themselves to win the final quarter and stretch the final margin to 22 points.Heath Shaw was awarded the Michael Tuck Medal for best on ground in the final, and the Magpies were presented with the NAB Cup as pre-season champions. But the award is of little importance compared to the challenge that lies ahead, the challenge of defending their crown, the quest to be the first Colliingwood team since 1929-30 to win back to back premierships.Collingwood 0.3.4 0.7.6 1.11.7 1.15.9 (108)Essendon 0.2.2 0.3.4 0.10.5 0.13.8 (86)Nine-Point Goals : Collingwood – Buckley. Essendon – Nil.Goals : Collingwood - Krakouer 3, Dawes 3, Cloke 2, McCarthy, Beams, Wellingham, Ball, Swan, Pendlebury, Thomas. Essendon - Hurley 3, Monfries 3, Ryder 2, Zaharakis 2, Watson 2, Hocking.Best : Collingwood - Shaw, Krakouer, Davis, Thomas, Pendlebury, Buckley, Thomas. Essendon -Hurley, Lonergan, Hardingham, Watson, Hibberd, Monfries.Injuries : Collingwood – Nil. Essendon - Hardingham (groin).Reports – Nil. Umpires - Rosebury, Stevic, Nicholls, Jennings.Crowd - 45,304 at Etihad Stadium.